Re: Work in Progress: draft 1.9a

[Marko Macek <Marko Macek gmx net>]

Tim Janik wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 4 Jul 1999, Dominik Vogt wrote:
> 
> > > wants to switch to another virtual desktop, it can send a
> > > _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP client message to the root window (type
> > > _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP, format 32, l[0]=<new index> )
> > >
> > > _NET_DESKTOP_NAMES
> > >
> > > The names of all virtual desktops. Text Property. Can be changed by
> > > anyone (by pager for example, when renaming desktops).
> > >
> > > [Should WM update this when modifying desktop count?]
> > > [What does this mean with respect to Unicode if anything?]
> >
> > I think it is very dangerous to encourage *every* application to use
> > these hints (_NET_DESKTOP_GEOMETRY to _NET_DESKTOP_NAMES). I would be
> > mouch more comfortable if we define that these hints are reserved for
> > use by pagers only. Perhaps a pager should even be forced to register
> > as a pager by setting a _NET_IS_PAGER_APPLICATION hint?
> 
> this would be nice, the old and the new gnome-pager implementation both
> set a _GNOME_PAGER_ACTIVE property on the root window, and at least
> enlightement uses it to decide whether to show icons of iconified windows
> or not (i.e. it does *not* show the icons if a pager is present).
> it could also be used to optimize traffic, e.g. by specifying that a
> window manager doesn't need to honour _NET_CLIENT_LIST_STACKING as long
> as there's no pager present.
> 
> > > _NET_WORKAREA CARDINAL[][4]/32
> > >
> > > Readonly property set by WM upon calculating the work area for each
> > > desktop.
> > > Contains the left,right,top,bottom coordinates for each desktop.
> > > Work area is used for maximizing windows and by the desktop to place
> > > desktop icons appropriatelly.
> >
> > What is a 'work area' in comparison to the viewport?
> 
> in short, a "work area" is the currently visible portion of a desktop
> that is larger than the physical screen size. excerpt from the fvwm2
> man page:
> 
> THE VIRTUAL DESKTOP
>        Fvwm2  provides  multiple  virtual  desktops for users who
>        wish to use them.  The screen is a viewport onto a desktop
>        which  may  be  larger  than the screen.  Several distinct
>        desktops can be accessed (concept: one  desktop  for  each
>        project,  or  one  desktop for each application, when view
>        applications are distinct).  Since  each  desktop  can  be
>        larger than the physical screen, divided into m by n pages
>        which are each the size of the  physical  screen,  windows
>        which  are  larger  than  the  screen  or  large groups of
>        related windows can easily be viewed.
> 
> i.e. the "work area" refered to above is a desktop "page" in fvwm terminology.
> 
> i do think however, that we should make _NET_WORKAREA an array of
> left,right,top,bottom coordinates, since smoe window managers have
> a concept of independant work areas per desktop.
> also, pagers need information on what the current area of currently
> hidden desktops is, to display thumbnails of those desktops correctly.

Sorry, I was not obvious. It should have 4 values for each desktop. I
will clear things up.

Mark
-- 
... GUI: WPS.
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Marko.Macek@gmx.net                 http://www.kiss.uni-lj.si/~k4fr0235/